"For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." 1 Cor 12:12-13
There is reason that God Himself created so many different members to form Christ's body on the earth. There is reason why within the new covenant brought forth by Christ and that old cross that there are teachers, preachers, evangelists, prophets, and apostles, plus various other functions within His body. It is certainly not for our own self-glorification! It is not to amass followers or to rise above our other brethren! God forbid! He, being God, simply decided to do it this way, and He has full rights to do it His way! It does bring forth an inner humbleness, it seems, to be just one little part of His body.
To learn through the Holy Spirit to love the eye when you are a hand certainly can be an adventure! The scriptures reveal we are to work together through His Holy Spirit, firstly for a witness that we are truly His through our love for Christ above all. Secondly, our cooperation with others serves as an opportunity to love the brethren as we are commanded. Thirdly, we are to work with other believers for the "equipping of the saints [plural] for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, [plural] until we all [plural], attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God." (Eph 4:12-13) As we each humble ourselves and work alongside one another, through the very Holy Spirit of God within us we become fully mature within Christ Jesus our Head, and great High Priest.
"...now there are many parts, [plural] but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, "I have no need of you.” On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it." (Cor 12:20-26)
Christ body, every part of it is still around today. Christ being the Head over its many and varied members. Sure, the hand works differently than the eye, and the ear works differently than the foot, and so on and so forth. Let us, through the Holy Spirit put within each twice born, recognize that each part emphasizes something above the other parts. Each part, though strikingly different, must meet around the essentials of our Lord and yet be varied in presentation and giftings outpouring through the Spirit within each of us. To lose sight of this is to make our Lord's body merely just one body part and therefore lose the unity of the various builders needed within Christ's body to construct each of us up into completeness within Christ Jesus, our Head. Sure, I agree His direction with me is different than yours. I have noticed as we mature, though, He brings us into clearer and clearer direction concerning our own path, and what at first was there but foggy becomes clearer and clearer until we see why some things within us seem to be of greater importance to us than others within Christ's body.
I laugh now at our differences through Christ, while I use to cry. I laugh now at feeling like such an outcast, while now I rejoice in it for Christ's sake. I laugh now at finally learning I'm one tiny body part of Christ's in the midst of many. Formally, I was confused concerning how different I saw myself compared to other believers. May our heavenly Father have His way with each of us through Christ Jesus and sharpen us through His Holy Spirit that whatever part of Christ's body we are, that we may walk within its use to His glory and praise for ever and ever. Remember you're not outcasts you're just different parts within a body that Christ Jesus alone is the Head over. So next time you look at another serving as the same body part, admiring it, as looking into a mirror, remember it's very easy to love those of the same body part as you. The true test is to love the members who are vastly different then yourself. This reminds me of Paul rebuking the Corinthians, "For when one says, "I follow Paul,” and another, "I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe””as the Lord has assigned to each his task." (1 Cor 3:4-5) So let us learn from each other and continue following Christ through His Holy Spirit directing and leading us Christ-ward.